On 20 March 2009, at 2230:49 Eastern Daylight-saving Time
(1130:49 UTC), an Airbus A340-541 aircraft, registered A6-ERG,
commenced the take-off roll on runway 16 at Melbourne Airport, Vic.
on a scheduled 14-hour passenger flight to Dubai, United Arab
Emirates (UAE). Onboard the aircraft (operating as flight number
EK407) were 257 passengers, 14 cabin crew and 4 flight crew.
During the reduced thrust takeoff, the aircraft's tail made
contact with the runway surface, but the aircraft did not begin to
climb. The captain commanded and selected take-off and go-around
engine thrust and the aircraft commenced a climb. After jettisoning
fuel to reduce the landing weight, the flight crew returned the
aircraft to Melbourne for landing.
The investigation has determined that the pre-flight take-off
performance calculations were based on an incorrect take-off weight
that was inadvertently entered into the take-off performance
software on a laptop computer used by the flight crew. Subsequent
crosschecks did not detect the incorrect entry and its effect on
performance planning.
As a result of this accident, the aircraft operator has
undertaken a number of procedural, training and technical
initiatives across its fleet and operations with a view to
minimising the risk of a recurrence. In addition, the aircraft
manufacturer has released a modified version of its
performance-planning tool and is developing a software package that
automatically checks the consistency of the flight data being
entered into the aircraft's flight computers by flight crews.
The investigation has found a number of similar take-off
performance-related incidents and accidents around the world. As a
result, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has initiated
a safety research project to examine those events. The findings of
that project will be released by the ATSB once completed. In the
interim, the ATSB has drawn this interim report to the attention of
relevant Australian operators to highlight the risks when
calculating and checking take-off performance information.
The investigation is continuing.
Download interim factual report [
PDF: 3.81MB]
At 2231 Eastern Daylight-saving Time, an Airbus A340-500
aircraft, registered A6-ERG, commenced the take-off roll on runway
16 at Melbourne Airport on a scheduled, passenger flight to Dubai,
United Arab Emirates with 257 passengers, 14 cabin crew and four
flight crew. The takeoff was planned as a reduced-power takeoff and
the first officer was the handling pilot for the departure.
At 2231:53, the captain called for the first officer to rotate.
The first officer attempted to rotate the aircraft, but it did not
respond immediately with a nose-up pitch. The captain again called
'rotate' and the first officer applied a greater nose-up command.
The nose of the aircraft was raised and the tail made contact with
the runway surface, but the aircraft did not begin to climb. The
captain then selected TOGA on the thrust levers, the engines
responded immediately, and the aircraft commenced a climb.
The crew notified air traffic control of the tail strike and
that they would be returning to Melbourne. While reviewing the
aircraft's performance documentation in preparation for landing,
the crew noticed that a take-off weight, which was 100 tonnes below
the actual take-off weight of the aircraft, had inadvertently been
used when completing the take-off performance calculation. The
result of that incorrect take-off weight was to produce a thrust
setting and take-off reference speeds that were lower than those
required for the actual aircraft weight.
The aircraft subsequently landed at Melbourne with no reported
injuries. The tail strike resulted in substantial damage to the
tail of the aircraft and damaged some airport lighting and the
instrument
landing system.
As a result of the accident, the aircraft operator has advised
the Australian Transport Safety Bureau that it is reviewing a
number of procedures including human factors involved in take-off
performance data entry.
Download Preliminary report [
PDF 4.8 MB ]